Exploring Kazakhstan | Small Group Tour for Seniors | Odyssey Traveller
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Australia 1300 888 225 New Zealand 0800 440 055 [email protected] From $10,450 AUD Single Room $11,850 AUD Twin Room $10,450 AUD Prices valid until 30th December 2021 22 days Duration Kazakhstan Destination Level 2 - Moderate Activity Exploring Kazakhstan | Small Group Tour Sep 26 2021 to Oct 17 2021 Journey through Kazakhstan Odyssey offers easy, convenient, and relaxed escorted small group tours across Kazakhstan and beyond. We explore Kazakhstan’s natural beauty, its ancient heritage, its World Heritage Sites, and cities, all with some truly spectacular scenery along the way. This and more is all waiting to be explored on one of Odyssey’s small group tours of Kazakhstan, designed for the senior traveller, and led by experienced, and enthusiastic like minded people. Join Odyssey Traveller as we visit the largest landlocked country in the Exploring Kazakhstan | Small Group Tour 24-Sep-2021 1/16 https://www.odysseytraveller.com.au Australia 1300 888 225 New Zealand 0800 440 055 [email protected] world, Kazakhstan. Once part of the Mongol and Russian Empires, Kazakhstan is where man first tamed wild horses on the vast Kazakh Steppe, the dry grassland that dominates its landscape and connects it with Europe and the rest of Asia. Expect to have your fill of Kazakhstan’s rich history and diverse sights in a small group setting, especially designed for active mature and senior travellers. On this tour, we will spend multiple nights in the glittering cities of Nur-Sultan (Kazakhstan’s capital, previously called Astana) and Almaty, and explore all the exciting places in between. Highlights of the tour include: Exploring Kazakhstan | Small Group Tour 24-Sep-2021 2/16 https://www.odysseytraveller.com.au Australia 1300 888 225 New Zealand 0800 440 055 [email protected] Altyn-Emel National Park – a 4,600-kilometre natural reserve, comparable to four times the size of Hong Kong, featuringBronze Age petroglyphs and a sand dune that “sings”. A safari destination, Altyn-Emel is a good place to spot Kazakhstan’s wildlife. Kolsai Lake System – Kazakhstan’s most beautiful water formations, sitting in the midst of mountain ridges and fir trees. The lakes are so crystal-clear that they reflect their surroundings like a mirror. Charyn Canyon – Carved by the wind and the Charyn River, the canyon is 150 to 300 metres deep and is often compared to the Grand Canyon. The National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan – housed inside an eye-catching building of blue glass and white marble. The biggest museum in Central Asia, it contains permanent collections telling the narrative of Kazakhstan’shistory from ancient to contemporary times. “KarLag” (i.e. Karaganda Corrective Labour Camp) – one of the largest labour camps organised by Joseph Stalin, now a memorial to the victims and a reminder of the country’s politically repressive past Ulytau – “the great mountains” believed to be the capital of the Golden Horde, one of the territories of the Mongol Empire; and the ancient capital of the Kazakh khanate. For more details, click the ‘Top 5’ or ‘Itinerary’ buttons above! If you’re keen to experience this tour, please call or send an email. Or, to book, simply fill in the form on the right-hand side of this page. Odyssey Traveller regularly offers tours designed for the active senior or mature traveller to enjoy in a small group holiday and learning environment. We also publish articles to provide more information to our loyal and prospective participants. Check out this article for a brief overview of Kazakhstan’s history and must-see sites, or visit the country profile of Kazakhstan. Other articles of possible interest is this two–part post filled with Exploring Kazakhstan | Small Group Tour 24-Sep-2021 3/16 https://www.odysseytraveller.com.au Australia 1300 888 225 New Zealand 0800 440 055 [email protected] travelling tips for seniors, an article on the many nifty gizmos and gadgets you can bring on your trips, and an important article about practising responsible travel. If you want to go beyond Kazakhstan and explore the rest of the Central Asian countries, consider signing up for Odyssey Traveller’s Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan tour and Silk Road tour. Highlights 1. View the petroglyphs and listen to the "singing" sand dunes in the Altyn-Emel National Park. 2. See the crystal-clear waters of the Kolsai Lake System, sitting in the midst of mountain ridges and fir trees. 3. Be surprised by the Charyn Canyon, carved by the wind and the Charyn River--a pleasant surprise appearing on Kazakhstan's flat grassland. 4. Explore the capital, Nur-Sultan, with its glimmering skyscrapers and daring 21st century architecture. 5. Immerse yourself in the rich history and way of life of the sacred region of Ulytau. Itinerary Day 1 Locations: Nur-Sultan (formerly Astana) Overview: On arrival in Nur-Sultan (formerly Astana), we make our own way to our hotel. Nur-Sultan (formerly Astana), the capital city of Kazakhstan, was Exploring Kazakhstan | Small Group Tour 24-Sep-2021 4/16 https://www.odysseytraveller.com.au Australia 1300 888 225 New Zealand 0800 440 055 [email protected] originally founded in the 1820s as a Russian military outpost. It became an oblast (province) centre in 1939, when Kazakhstan became a constituent republic of the Soviet Union. In the early 1950s, Nikita Khrushchev launched a campaign to develop Kazakhstan’s “virgin lands”, and millions of Russians moved to the region and into this city, then known as Tselinograd, or “City of the Virgin Lands”. It was named Aqmola (“White Grave”) following Kazakhstan’s independence in 1992. Five years later, the country’s capital was moved from Almaty to Aqmola, which was renamed Astana in 1998. Astana simply means “capital”. On March 23, 2019, its capital Astana was formally renamed to Nur-Sultan to honour its longtime leader Nursultan Nazarbayev, who has resigned that month. In the evening, we meet for a welcome dinner and orientation. Accommodation: Hampton by Hilton or similar Day 2 Locations: Nur-Sultan (formerly Astana) Overview: Kazakhstan’s government tapped the country’s vast profits from its oil and gas reserves in order to design and expand Astana. This city, with its skyscrapers and 21st century architecture, appears shimmering in the midst of Kazakhstan’s flat grasslands. Today we will go on a walking tour starting from the old part of the city on the right side of the Ishim River, a river which Kazakhstan shares with Russia. Among those we will see are the Kulyash Baiseitova National Opera and Ballet Theatre which was inaugurated in 2000 and named after a Soviet Kazakh opera singer; the Museum of Saken Seifullin, dedicated to the Kazakh poet; and the mansion of the merchant Vasily Kubrin. The Kubrin family has strong business and political roots in Nur-Sultan. Accommodation: Hampton by Hilton or similar Exploring Kazakhstan | Small Group Tour 24-Sep-2021 5/16 https://www.odysseytraveller.com.au Australia 1300 888 225 New Zealand 0800 440 055 [email protected] Day 3 Locations: Nur-Sultan (formerly Astana) Overview: We continue our tour of Nur-Sultan and walk along the riverside to see the city’s most important architectural buildings and monuments. We will see Constitution Square, where the President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, announced the capital’s move from Almaty to Nur-Sultan; the Museum of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, housed in the former presidential palace and containing exhibits dedicated to Nazarbayev, who has served as Kazakhstan’s president since the office was founded in 1990; and Nur-Sultan’s Congress Hall. The Bayterek Tower is also popular among travellers; it stands 97 metres tall to commemorate the year 1997, which was when the capital of the country was moved from Almaty to Nur-Sultan. The tower is topped by a golden egg symbolising new life, and which also serves as an observation deck offering a view of the city. In the afternoon, we will visit the National Museum, housed inside an eye-catching building of blue glass and white marble. The biggest museum in Central Asia, it contains permanent collections telling the narrative of Kazakhstan’s history from ancient to contemporary times. Perhaps the most famous is the “Golden Warrior” or the “Golden Man”, a statue of a Scythian warrior wearing a gold-plated uniform and carrying a gold dagger and sword, and which now serves as a national icon of Kazakhstan. We will also visit the triangular Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, conceived as a permanent venue of the triennial Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions that champions religious understanding, peace, and unity. The pyramid, designed by British architect Lord Norman Foster, has an opera hall and conference, educational facilities, and a national centre. Accommodation: Hampton by Hilton or similar Exploring Kazakhstan | Small Group Tour 24-Sep-2021 6/16 https://www.odysseytraveller.com.au Australia 1300 888 225 New Zealand 0800 440 055 [email protected] Day 4 Locations: Nur-Sultan - Burabay Overview: After breakfast, we will travel to Burabay, 250 kilometres from Nur- Sultan, and explore the Burabay National Park, which has diverse flora and abundant fauna, including several species of deers and birds. We will then transfer to the famous Ablai Khan meadow, named after one of the legendary leaders of the Middle Horde (Middle Zhuzes) formed in Kazakhstan in the early 17th century. The meadow is said to have a unique and rejuvenating microclimate. In the meadow, situated in the foothills of Kokshe Mountain, is a natural rock formation shaped like a throne, said to be used in early Kazakh coronation ceremonies.